North and South Korea agree cross-border family reunions

[underpants]

Source: Financial Times


Seoul and Pyongyang have agreed to hold reunions later in February of family members separated since the Korean war, amid a renewed emphasis from both governments on the need for improved relations.

The reunions had been a key demand of South Korea’s government, which responded sceptically in January when North Korea proposed a mutual drive to build trust by suspending “slander” and “hostile military actions”.

At a meeting on Wednesday, officials from both sides agreed to hold the reunions from February 20 to 25 at the North Korean tourist resort of Geumgangsan. There will be 200 reunions of family members from opposite sides of the border – the first since October.

“Clearly (Pyongyang is) being more positive about the inter-Korean relationship but I don't think they really mean it,” said Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. “There’s pressure from China for North Korea to improve the situation. Kim Jong Un wants to restart North Korean economic development, and for that, North Korea needs Chinese support."



Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f5bdf562-8e4e-11e3-98c6-00144feab7de.html#axzz2sSFtqD1o

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Thank you Dennis Rodman!!!!

[onehandle]

1. We should make China take over the 38th.

China created this problem and it has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars, while making China rich.

Bring the troops home.

[Diclotican]

3. onehandle

onehandle

One can claim, that the russians made this mess in the mid 1940s - by accepting the late "president for life" been able to build up a army - to occupy what is now known as the DKPR... Or we can always blame Japan, who in 1910 occupied Korea - and was using it as their own "Imperial backyard for many years...

Diclotican

[Xolodno]

4. A lot of blame can go around...

China was worried that the US would use the UN and Korea as a foothold to invade China.

China gave plenty of warnings that if it appeared they were going to take out the north and have US troops at their doorstep, they were going to get involved. Truman and MacArthur ignored the warnings....and voila, China entered....followed by Russian air support.

[davidpdx]

7. Handing over half of the Korean peninsula to the Chinese would not be a good idea

It would be the same as when Japan took over Korea in 1910. I'm sure there are about 50 million Koreans who would disagree with you about looking over the DMZ and seeing the Chinese. The number of troops here in Korea is 28,500 which is down from when I got here 10 years ago. We have a hell of a lot more troops in other places which are more dangerous than here. I highly doubt the troops will be withdrawn after 50 years just to let the Chinese take over. *shakes head*

[Diclotican]

2. underpants

underpants

I wonder, how mutch "credit" got DKPR out of this - for accepting cross border family reunions - as DKPR more than one time - given hope to family-reunions and then never followed true - because they trump up some cases and refused to make good for their agreements...

I also wonder, how much the ROK had to pay for making this a possibility, how much food, economical "credits" and "loans" both know will never be paid back - have ROK been needed to give DKPR for free - to make it a possibility - many things can hap pending between now and October - and it is more than likely that DKPR for some reason would say "sorry" and not let it happend... They do not have the best of track records for this things the last couple of years

But hey - everything can happend - even that DKPR and ROK behave for a change - and where DKPR might do as promised...

Diclotican

[seveneyes]

5. Why hold it at the North Korean tourist resort of Geumgangsan

Why not in SK? I would be very hesitant to cross over into that sickos territory. NK can not be trusted.

[davidpdx]

6. We'll see how long it lasts

It's nice to see them be able to get together. If my FIL had any hope that his siblings were alive he'd probably go. Only a small number of families will be able to do this. The next time tensions flare up between the two countries it is likely to end.

And it had nothing to do with Dennis "the creep" Rodman...

[BoneDancer]

10. Sounds like a positive step.